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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Afternoon Open Thread: Honey Badger Mode

Afternoon Open Thread: Honey Badger Mode

by Zandar|  February 24, 20152:02 pm| 112 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

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Ladies and gentlemen, this happened today.

Harry Reid in full Honey Badger Mode.

harry.reid.gif

 

Open Thread.

[UPDATE] Honey Badger keeps on winning.

BREAKING: Senate GOP leader offers vote on Homeland Security funding bill without immigration measures.

— The Associated Press (@AP) February 24, 2015

 

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Reader Interactions

112Comments

  1. 1.

    beth

    February 24, 2015 at 2:18 pm

    Whether you like him or not you have to admit after this accident that he is one tough old son of a bitch. I winced the first time I saw his injuries – I’d probably still be in bed in a fog of painkillers.

  2. 2.

    Mary G

    February 24, 2015 at 2:28 pm

    So, Mitch McConnell blinked. Good for Harry for keeping the Democrats in line.

  3. 3.

    Cacti

    February 24, 2015 at 2:31 pm

    Poor Joe Manchin, he was so ready to roll over for McTurtle but didn’t get the chance.

  4. 4.

    Punchy

    February 24, 2015 at 2:32 pm

    There’s no way it’s a clean bill (that’s not how the GOP rolls). So what else is attached? Planned Parenthood defunding? Obamacare repeal? Tax breaks for Fox News viewers? Legalized sexytime with barn animals?

    I hope Dems are smart enough to read the whole damn bill with a magnifying glass.

  5. 5.

    Mike J

    February 24, 2015 at 2:34 pm

    It doesn’t matter if the senate allows a vote on it. The problem is the house.

  6. 6.

    trollhattan

    February 24, 2015 at 2:35 pm

    Harry definitely retains some of Boxer Harry. Keep counter-punching, Harry.

    O/T but holy crap.

    Sea levels along the northeast coast of the US rose by record levels during 2009-2010, a study has found. Sea levels north of New York City rose by 128mm in two years, according to a report in the journal, Nature Communications. Coastal areas will need to prepare for short term and extreme sea level events, say US scientists.

    Climate models suggest extreme sea level rises will become more common this century.

    “The extreme sea level rise event during 2009-10 along the northeast coast of North America is unprecedented during the past century,” Prof Jianjun Yin of the University of Arizona told BBC News.

    “Statistical analysis indicates that it is a 1-in-850 year event.”

    Scientists at the University of Arizona and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in New Jersey studied records of tidal levels along the east coast of the US and Canada. They divided the coastline into three areas: north of New York City, New York City to Cape Hatteras on the coast of North Carolina, and south of Cape Hatteras. They identified what they call an extreme sea-level rise during 2009-10, when the coastal sea level north of New York City jumped by 128mm.

    “When coastal storms occur, extreme sea levels can lead to elevated storm surge,” said Prof Jianjun Yin. “In addition to long-term and gradual sea level rise, coastal communities will need to prepare for short and extreme sea level rise events.”

  7. 7.

    JPL

    February 24, 2015 at 2:41 pm

    Certain house leaders will lock Boehner in a closet rather than allow the house to vote on a clean bill funding Homeland Security.

    @trollhattan: According to fox news, this is just a blip and also, too water goes up and water goes down.

  8. 8.

    Violet

    February 24, 2015 at 2:42 pm

    I’m stuck in a waiting room. The tv has Maury Povich on. Good Lord. How does this show have any viewers? “You are the father!” Plus a bunch of dramatics by the two parents. Utterly useless.

  9. 9.

    trollhattan

    February 24, 2015 at 2:49 pm

    @Violet:
    Ugh. Had to get stitches Saturday, choosing the doc-in-a-box option over a giant queue at the trauma center. Waiting room TV had the Disney Channel on with the volume at 11, while the exam room had a network evening news show (maybe CBS?), a viewing habit I shed decades ago. Every fracking ad was for a prescription drug, a dietary supplement or a national pharmacy chain. There was not one ad for any other product or service in the entire half hour. I understand their demo is probably eleventyhundred but still, nothing but drugs and sham supplements?

  10. 10.

    trollhattan

    February 24, 2015 at 2:51 pm

    @Violet:
    Oops, think I ran afoul of FYWP. Will add strategic typos and find out.

    Ugh. Had to get stitches Saturday, choosing the doc-in-a-box option over a giant queue at the trauma center. Waiting room TV had the Disney Channel on with the volume at 11, while the exam room had a network evening news show (maybe CBS?), a viewing habit I shed decades ago. Every fracking ad was for a preskription drug, a dyetary supplement or a national Farmacy chain. There was not one ad for any other product or service in the entire half hour. I understand their demo is probably eleventyhundred but still, nothing but drugs and sham supplements?

    Success!

  11. 11.

    Buddy H

    February 24, 2015 at 2:53 pm

    @Violet: Last waiting room I was in, the tv was blasting a repeating loop of pharm commercials. Very loud and annoying. Sign on the wall said “No cell phone use allowed” … I guess they don’t want patients to be annoyed?

    I was a captive audience, and I guess the medical practice took a fee for showing the commercials loop. I’m not a patient… I’m a consumer.

  12. 12.

    Mike J

    February 24, 2015 at 2:55 pm

    @Buddy H: http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Atv-b-gone%20pro

  13. 13.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 24, 2015 at 2:56 pm

    @Mike J: Yup. And the vast army of zombie dumbshits that are the teatards (led by Speaker Cruz) will do everything they can to keep the immigration crap in the funding bill.

  14. 14.

    trollhattan

    February 24, 2015 at 2:56 pm

    @JPL:

    this is just a blip and also, too water goes up and water goes down.

    “You can’t explain it.”

  15. 15.

    jl

    February 24, 2015 at 2:56 pm

    @Cacti:

    ” Poor Joe Manchin, he was so ready to roll over for McTurtle but didn’t get the chance. ”

    Heard report Manchin is still on board the sinking ship. Still one of the three or four votes McConnell will need to block funding.
    Maybe Cole can explain. Will look for another love note from Cole to his favorite BFF Senator Manchin soon.

  16. 16.

    Buddy H

    February 24, 2015 at 2:58 pm

    @Mike J: They would have kicked me out of the waiting room. My wife accompanied me, and she actually went to the front desk to politely ask them to turn down the volume, and the girl refused.

  17. 17.

    jonas

    February 24, 2015 at 2:59 pm

    I think this underscores the extent to which the crazy gerrymandering at the state level that produced our current GOP House caucus is going to come back to bite the Republicans in the ass. The senators (and their pollsters) know that, broadly, immigration reform is popular, as is funding our national security. Meanwhile over in the House, their colleagues are desperately trying to toe the line on whatever insane issue Rush Limbaugh has demanded purity on today, and which consistently polls at around the well-established “crazification factor” of 27%.

  18. 18.

    mai naem mobile

    February 24, 2015 at 3:01 pm

    On my little cell phone screen Harry looks a lot like Tommy Lee Jones in Men in Black. I know Harry Reid has his detractors at BJ but I just like the guy and i think for the most part he did the best he could with the hand he was dealt with especially when you consider some of the asshole Dem senators hes had to deal with.

  19. 19.

    jl

    February 24, 2015 at 3:01 pm

    @Violet:

    ” I’m stuck in a waiting room. The tv has Maury Povich on. ”

    I notice that too on my periodic tours of medical office and hospital waiting rooms during family oldster health problems. Povich and Springer shows, which I previously had no idea still existed. My guess is less offensive than Fox News and does not irritate people into batshit insanity like CNN.

    Can’t they contract with cable companies to pipe in soothing shots of waterfalls, sunny meadows and sunsets and such like, with soothing music? It’s a puzzle.

    And just as O’Reilly says ‘You can’t explain it!”, though not sure it points to the existence of benevolent deity.

  20. 20.

    p.a.

    February 24, 2015 at 3:01 pm

    @Cacti: He’ll have more.

  21. 21.

    Mike J

    February 24, 2015 at 3:02 pm

    @Buddy H: You don’t even have to take it out of your pocket. No indication that you did it.

  22. 22.

    jl

    February 24, 2015 at 3:04 pm

    @p.a.: Manchin shows an interesting tendency to jump onto sinking ships. And just at the last minute as they are about to sink out of sight. How do you explain it?

  23. 23.

    geg6

    February 24, 2015 at 3:05 pm

    @jl:

    My guess is less offensive than Fox News and does not irritate people into batshit insanity like CNN.

    I’d need evidence of that. Any one of them would have me going postal.

  24. 24.

    jl

    February 24, 2015 at 3:07 pm

    @geg6: I’m unsuccessfully flailing for explanations of TV behavior in medical waiting rooms. I admit that.

    Edit: In a place where you would think soothing and sane TV would be wanted, what do I see? Fox news, CNN and Povich and Springer.

  25. 25.

    beth

    February 24, 2015 at 3:08 pm

    @jl: My dentist finally switched over to HGTV in the waiting room. The girl at the desk says no one ever complains about HGTV. She never met my mother who loved that channel until they started putting gay couples on – “it’s homo and gay tv now!”. I don’t think there’s a tv channel that’s non-controversial.

  26. 26.

    Mike J

    February 24, 2015 at 3:09 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    And the vast army of zombie dumbshits that are the teatards (led by Speaker Cruz) will do everything they can to keep the immigration crap in the funding bill.

    After additional thought, this is means more than I gave it credit for.

    The Republican talking point has been, “why won’t the Democrats vote/allow a vote on funding DHS.” With the senate offering a clean bill, Democrats will be able to say, “we’ve voted for it.” This wasn’t done to capitulate to Democrats, it was McConnell slapping down the teabaggers and showing them they won’t get support from establishment Republicans.

    This is Republican on Republican smackdown, and I love watching it. RedState has the hed : Mitch McConnell is folding like a cheap suit – Shutting down DHS is a political winner and Mitch McConnell is playing to lose.

    heheheheh

  27. 27.

    JGabriel

    February 24, 2015 at 3:09 pm

    AP via Betty Cracker @ Top:

    Senate GOP leader offers vote on Homeland Security funding bill without immigration measures.

    Yay. I think.

    Assuming there are no other poison pill riders and it passes the Senate, does anyone think Boehner will be able to get a Republican majority to vote for it in the House?

    I’m thinking maybe Pelosi ought to hold back just enough Democratic votes to force Boehner to get a GOP majority in the House too, i.e., force Boehner to get a majority of both parties – like she did with the bank rescue bill back in 2008.

    I’m not sure if that’s a good idea or not, but I really don’t like the idea of letting a majority of GOP House Reps. use a vote against funding the DHS (because they know the Democrats will pass it without the anti-immigrant riders) to bolster their “Conservative” credentials.

  28. 28.

    trollhattan

    February 24, 2015 at 3:09 pm

    @beth:
    Worser: way too many Canadians!

  29. 29.

    Belafon

    February 24, 2015 at 3:11 pm

    @jonas: If we started beating the wingers regularly at the polls the craziness would be marginalized. Until that happens, 27% of the electorate is enough to keep Republicans – and a few conserviative Democrats – doing crazy stuff.

  30. 30.

    geg6

    February 24, 2015 at 3:11 pm

    @jl:

    Both my dentist and my PCP have HGTV on in the waiting room. Much more soothing than any of that other stuff. And sometimes really interesting.

  31. 31.

    Zandar

    February 24, 2015 at 3:12 pm

    @Mike J:

    Oh yes.

    Because 150,000 people working without pay while the GOP Congress gets paid for doing nothing is a “political winner”.

    Please proceed, Mitch.

  32. 32.

    JGabriel

    February 24, 2015 at 3:14 pm

    @jl:

    Can’t they contract with cable companies to pipe in soothing shots of waterfalls, sunny meadows and sunsets and such like, with soothing music?

    Or just buy some Blu-rays?

  33. 33.

    Peale

    February 24, 2015 at 3:14 pm

    @geg6: When’t the last time you got scared because someone failed or passed a paternity test? Yesterday afternoon, CNN spent a good amount of time interviewing concerned experts about the dangers of terrorists in the mall and whether or not uncovering the hint of a plot meant our authorities were failing. Yep. They believe they uncovered a plot before it took place..and the fact that anyone is still plotting means we are losing.

    Maury at least hopes you’ll feel smug about your moral superiority to the people he has on. It may be obnoxious, but he isn’t trying to interfere with your trip to Journeys or Lord and Taylor.

  34. 34.

    shortstop

    February 24, 2015 at 3:21 pm

    I bet my dad wished there’d been TV of any kind in my gyno’s office when I took him to an appointment last year. I realize that sounds extremely creepy, so let me ‘splain: My pop and I were going out to lunch and I was due for a shot from my OB/GYN. It was a walk in, walk back to the exam room, get the shot, walk out kind of thing. I suggested that we multitask and my dad was quite wary of this idea. I told him to stop being such a baby, reminded him that he’d been present at the birth of a real baby, and he grumpily acquiesced.

    So I left him in the waiting room for a total of 45 seconds and he was bitching about the lack of anything to read beyond mags for new parents. I can actually agree with his point since not every patient going to an OB/GYN is going to be, wants to be, can be or is yet to be a mother.

  35. 35.

    Iowa Old Lady

    February 24, 2015 at 3:22 pm

    My dentist has HGTV, which is excellent because it’s not only in the waiting room but also in little TVs you can watch while they work on you.

    OTOH, the auto dealer has stuff like Maury. Last time I was the only one in the waiting room, and I just turned it off so I could read. There are advantages to being a little old lady.

  36. 36.

    sparrow

    February 24, 2015 at 3:22 pm

    @Buddy H: My standard advice for waiting rooms: Bring a book (a good and long one), and a set of 33 dB-rated earplugs. This eliminates: crying babies, horrible commercials/talkshows/FoxNews blaring, over-sharing neighbors, domestic disputes, and people screaming in pain. Or at least dials them down to a very low level.

    Although this didn’t work for me once, when I was waiting in a looooong queue in a courtroom to contest a ticket. I honestly did not understand why I wasn’t allowed to READ, but there were signs everywhere.

  37. 37.

    shortstop

    February 24, 2015 at 3:26 pm

    @sparrow: Not being allowed to read in courtrooms is quite annoying. Have never been plaintiff, defendant or witness, but I’ve spent a lot of monotonous hours not getting to read during jury selection processes.

  38. 38.

    Iowa Old Lady

    February 24, 2015 at 3:26 pm

    @sparrow: You weren’t allowed to read??? Holy crap. The Fascists!

    Why can’t you read in a courtroom?

  39. 39.

    raven

    February 24, 2015 at 3:29 pm

    @Iowa Old Lady: Hell if you are an alternate here you are put in a room by yourself and cannot read. My wife was in that situation for 4 days!

  40. 40.

    Belafon

    February 24, 2015 at 3:30 pm

    @sparrow: If you phone is smart enough, put Kindle, Nook, or some book software and download a few of the classics, which tend to be free.

  41. 41.

    shortstop

    February 24, 2015 at 3:30 pm

    @Iowa Old Lady: The reasoning, as it was explained to me by several officers of the court, is that you may read something that will suddenly and dramatically influence something you’re doing in that courtroom.

  42. 42.

    shortstop

    February 24, 2015 at 3:31 pm

    @Belafon: No using smartphones in courtrooms either. At least not in Cook County…

  43. 43.

    Iowa Old Lady

    February 24, 2015 at 3:31 pm

    @shortstop: That is total bullshit.

  44. 44.

    shortstop

    February 24, 2015 at 3:32 pm

    @Iowa Old Lady: Could not agree more. So next time I’m tattooing a few chapters onto myself ahead of time so I have something to do.

  45. 45.

    raven

    February 24, 2015 at 3:34 pm

    @Belafon: I just came off jury duty. I didn’t get selected but believe me, there was no screwing around with phones or any damn thing else.

  46. 46.

    Buddy H

    February 24, 2015 at 3:35 pm

    I can’t see Maury without being reminded of the sexual harassment suit that a former employee brought against him and his producers. Some wild behavior was exposed. Maury and his pals thought they were a modern-day rat pack, with Maury as Sinatra. I also can’t see Maury without being distracted by those weird sweater/shirts he wears. And then I’m reminded of Bobby Lee’s impersonation of Connie Chung.

    So I can’t really watch Maury.

  47. 47.

    Buddy H

    February 24, 2015 at 3:36 pm

    @shortstop: Like the bill of rights!

  48. 48.

    Iowa Old Lady

    February 24, 2015 at 3:36 pm

    @raven: Oh. My. God. I’m hyperventilating at the thought.

  49. 49.

    Belafon

    February 24, 2015 at 3:39 pm

    @shortstop: I was responding to your waiting room comment. As for jury stuff, they should at least give something for the person to do. Maybe give them the opportunity to cure cancer or something.

  50. 50.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 24, 2015 at 3:40 pm

    @Mike J:

    RedState has the hed : Mitch McConnell is folding like a cheap suit – Shutting down DHS is a political winner and Mitch McConnell is playing to lose.

    If there’s anyone who knows about cheap suits, it’s the lower life forms of RedState.

  51. 51.

    jl

    February 24, 2015 at 3:42 pm

    @Belafon: I can read and work on my computer and listen to music through earplugs when I’m in common waiting from for jury service.

    Maybe in some locations it is a test. See how well potential jurors hold up emotionally and intellectually through hours of unrelieved tedium.

  52. 52.

    The Moar You Know

    February 24, 2015 at 3:43 pm

    McConnell’s an asshole but he is not stupid. He knows all it will take is a few shots of INS parking lots full of parked Humvees and some B-roll of hordes of people climbing over the border fence, along with Obama saying “I told them not to shut down INS” and the retard vote will be denied them in 2016.

  53. 53.

    trollhattan

    February 24, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    @Iowa Old Lady:
    I’m guessing it was Judge Roy Moore’s court and you’re actually allowed to read, but just the 10 commandments.

  54. 54.

    kc

    February 24, 2015 at 3:47 pm

    I had to Google this. As I get older I find it increasingly difficult to maintain awareness of all Internet traditions.

  55. 55.

    JPL

    February 24, 2015 at 3:48 pm

    @jl: Same thing in Fulton Cty.

  56. 56.

    JPL

    February 24, 2015 at 3:48 pm

    Here is a copy of the President’s veto of the pipeline
    https://twitter.com/ajconwashington/status/570322743864008705/photo/1

  57. 57.

    Iowa Old Lady

    February 24, 2015 at 3:51 pm

    @trollhattan: So it’s for the slow readers whose lips move? I’m still trying to absorb this.

    After 9/11, I recall reading about flights to the US from Heathrow once they were resumed. On the first one, people were allowed to take nothing as carryon. Not even books. I remember being horrified by that.

  58. 58.

    Mike J

    February 24, 2015 at 3:53 pm

    @kc: Which did you have to google, honey badger or deal with it?

  59. 59.

    kc

    February 24, 2015 at 3:54 pm

    @Mike J:

    “Deal with it.” At least I knew about the honey badger . . .

  60. 60.

    Luthe

    February 24, 2015 at 3:56 pm

    @JGabriel: It’ll bolster their “conservative” credentials, sure, but it’s also the kind of vote that has opposition ad writers salivating. “Representative Douchebag voted against Homeland Security! Why does he hate America?” etc.

  61. 61.

    jl

    February 24, 2015 at 3:57 pm

    @JPL: Though I think one comment said the silly prohibition on reading was in waiting room for traffic or small claims court of some type. That makes no sense to me. Why put people on edge before they go into court?

  62. 62.

    trollhattan

    February 24, 2015 at 4:02 pm

    Think if I ever saw this occurring in my yard, I’d move in a jiffy. Bonus note: my in-laws used to live in the area.

  63. 63.

    jl

    February 24, 2015 at 4:03 pm

    Is every patently false, hateful and laughably ridiculous thing said by some has-been political personality (like Giuliani) going to sprout little legs and toddle along, helped by officials in national GOP from now until election day? Looks like it. I don’t like it, but have been thinking it might be a good thing, if GOPers cannot figure out Obama is not running for presidency in 2016 by the time we get to GOP primary campaign.

    Now, if there were, in fact, communities of internally displaced US Christians from the notorious Obama bombing runs in refugee camps, it just might be different. But I haven’t heard about it in the news. But, I am liberal sheeple, probably don’t realize there is obviously a mainstream media blackout on it.

    GOP Rep: Obama Is ‘More Aggressive’ Toward Christians Than Toward ISIL
    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ted-poe-obama-christians-aggressive

  64. 64.

    jl

    February 24, 2015 at 4:07 pm

    @trollhattan: Georgetown is far enough out in the NorCal sticks that you should expect critters, though. I think so.

  65. 65.

    Bill Arnold

    February 24, 2015 at 4:08 pm

    @Violet:

    I’m stuck in a waiting room. The tv has Maury Povich on. Good Lord.

    Most of the other people in the waiting room want the sound turned off, in my experience. Does not hurt to ask.

  66. 66.

    Iowa Old Lady

    February 24, 2015 at 4:09 pm

    I see Obama vetoed Keystone, as he promised. Way to waste time, Congress.

  67. 67.

    catclub

    February 24, 2015 at 4:10 pm

    @Buddy H: If you ever want to get out of jury duty, offer to explain jury nullification to the other jurors.

  68. 68.

    SatanicPanic

    February 24, 2015 at 4:14 pm

    @Iowa Old Lady: I love how they are pushing this AFTER gas prices went down. Fight that last war, Republicans!

  69. 69.

    shortstop

    February 24, 2015 at 4:15 pm

    @jl: The holding pen for those called for jury duty is different from a courtroom. As far as I know, no jurisdiction places reading restrictions on people in the former, only in the courtroom itself.

  70. 70.

    Yerbauce

    February 24, 2015 at 4:18 pm

    All sincerity aside,. who is the tiny lady to Reid’s left?

  71. 71.

    Mike J

    February 24, 2015 at 4:22 pm

    @catclub:

    If you ever want to get out of jury duty, offer to explain jury nullification to the other jurors.

    Cops are told to use their judgment about if a crime is serious enough to arrest somebody. DAs are expected to use their judgement when deciding about filing charges. Judges are expected to use their judgement. Jurors are expected to act robotically and do exactly what the prosecutor tells them. Or that’s what the DA will tell you.

  72. 72.

    JPL

    February 24, 2015 at 4:22 pm

    @Iowa Old Lady: See my comment at 55.. his veto is priceless

    Basically since you guys are not allowing for the national security review to take place, suck on this. Okay, maybe he was a little bit more eloquent.

  73. 73.

    chopper

    February 24, 2015 at 4:23 pm

    @Mary G:

    apparently, now senate dems are also refusing to support the turtle’s clean bill unless the house promises to pass it.

    mcconnell is just getting slapped around here.

  74. 74.

    Buddy H

    February 24, 2015 at 4:25 pm

    @catclub: That might work! Also, I like your name… We have one cat, and she is sort of the boss of me. Scolds me gently if her dish isn’t filled. But she is an affectionate cat, part of our family. So we are in her cat club.

    I remember when my kids were little, we volunteered at an animal shelter. It was a house full of unadopted cats. We cleaned their litter boxes and fed them. It was a nice experience (although some of the cats were less… socialized… than others). A few months later we had a pastor visit our house, part of a charity we got involved with. He obviously was NOT a cat person. He asked us what we did for fun, and my son told him we volunteered to help cats. The look on his face was priceless. Like we had told him we read newspapers to worms, or helped cockroaches study for SATs.

    My wife still laughs about it.

  75. 75.

    dmsilev

    February 24, 2015 at 4:25 pm

    @chopper: I can’t wait for Ted Cruz to announce that he’s going to filibuster a bill introduced by the GOP leadership. We all know that’s the next step in this dance.

  76. 76.

    sparrow

    February 24, 2015 at 4:27 pm

    @jl:

    Maybe in some locations it is a test. See how well potential jurors hold up emotionally and intellectually through hours of unrelieved tedium.

    Cynical, but that actually makes more sense than the “you might read something that changes your mind/makes you crazy” explanation (not that I’m doubting shortstop, just the logic)… I mean, you might be on a jury and go home and read and develop Teh Crazy and it would still be just as bad, right? I actually thought it was just a way to punish people for interacting with the justice system in any way so that you left thinking “Get me the fuck out of here and may I never return, thank you Jesus”…

  77. 77.

    Mike J

    February 24, 2015 at 4:31 pm

    @chopper:

    apparently, now senate dems are also refusing to support the turtle’s clean bill unless the house promises to pass it.

    Technically speaking, all spending bills are required to originate in the house.

  78. 78.

    ThresherK

    February 24, 2015 at 4:31 pm

    Whoohoo. I got Frontier (a.k.a. the people who make Comcast look good) to call off the proposed $43 they said I owed them for their “service”.

    And all it took was a few choice words and telling the tale to yet one more sorry-assed Frontierite about how I spent at least $43 in data overage charges and cellphone minutes, and hours and hours on hold, being transferred to non-monitored phone queues and chat rooms, and calling their dedicated Connecticut residential toll-free number to immediately talk to people whose sole job is to service commercial fiber customers in the upper midwest.

    All simply trying to get Frontier customer service to do their jobs.

    “I’ll put a note on here that you’re not paying.”

    “Are you going to send this to a collection agency?”

    “Sir, you owe this money…”

    (Long story cut short telling service supervisor how awful they botched this, on several occaisions, and how I went elsewhere as a result.)

    “It’s not worth your being irate and using that kind of language for $43, so I am writing this off and canceling the bill.”

    (Left unsaid: Lady, you have no idea of the language I had not yet used.)

    If you’re in Connecticut, and Frontier isn’t making you think seriously of two coconuts and a taut string is an improvement, let me know.

  79. 79.

    Kylroy

    February 24, 2015 at 4:34 pm

    @sparrow: I get banning smartphones and kindles, same way you ban newspapers – you don’t want people reading outside sources’ take on the event. But if you show up with a paper novel, I can’t see how anything you will read in the novel could change what you were going to decide *before* you read it.

  80. 80.

    shortstop

    February 24, 2015 at 4:35 pm

    @sparrow: There’s a certain amount of random authoritarianism mixed in, too, no doubt. They want you paying respectful attention, even if what’s going on up front has eff-all to do with you.

  81. 81.

    shortstop

    February 24, 2015 at 4:36 pm

    @dmsilev: I can’t believe he hasn’t already released a preemptory statement about his non-onboardness.

  82. 82.

    someguy

    February 24, 2015 at 4:36 pm

    That’s fine but I liked him better in The Godfather and Barney Miller.

  83. 83.

    shortstop

    February 24, 2015 at 4:38 pm

    @Kylroy: And not just novels! They got all up in arms about my reading Michel Foucault. ;)

  84. 84.

    gogol's wife

    February 24, 2015 at 4:39 pm

    @ThresherK:

    I hate them!

  85. 85.

    Iowa Old Lady

    February 24, 2015 at 4:44 pm

    @shortstop: Hey, dead white French guy. That’s worth objecting too.

  86. 86.

    Iowa Old Lady

    February 24, 2015 at 4:48 pm

    Can somebody explain whatever strategy Reid is using when he says the Ds in the Senate won’t vote for the clean DHS funding bill unless Boehner says he’s on board? Why not vote and send it back to the House?

  87. 87.

    JPL

    February 24, 2015 at 4:49 pm

    @ThresherK: My sister-in-law had frontier in no. ga. She had a few months to cancel and my brother’s health took a turn at that point. There internet service never worked properly. A few weeks after he died, she called to cancel and they said too bad. She sent them documentation and they turned her over to a collection agency. It’s a real nice company.

  88. 88.

    Violet

    February 24, 2015 at 4:49 pm

    @Bill Arnold:

    Most of the other people in the waiting room want the sound turned off, in my experience. Does not hurt to ask.

    I was in a medical waiting room earlier this year where the TV was on at a low volume, but loud enough that people could hear it. Then this other set of sounds kept coming and going–mostly they were there at a high volume but occasionally they would stop. Sounded like a slot machine, plus some music off and on and someone’s voice occasionally. People kept looking at the TV and around at each other trying to figure out where this really loud noise was coming from. It drowned out the TV volume.

    Finally I realized it was coming from this woman playing a game on her phone. After about ten minutes of this deafening noise I got up and asked her if she could please turn down or mute her phone, that it was really loud. She rolled her eyes, gave a huge sigh and then muted the phone. She never actually looked at me.

    I couldn’t believe how rude she was. The damn thing drowned out the TV and the sound came and went depending on how she was doing at the game. It was incredibly intrusive Who leaves the volume up while they play a game on their phone in a doctor’s office waiting room? Rude people, that’s who.

  89. 89.

    JPL

    February 24, 2015 at 4:51 pm

    @Iowa Old Lady: Hopefully someone else pipe’s in but technically they could end up in mediation and pass the bill with fifty votes. At least that’s what I think.

  90. 90.

    Patricia Kayden

    February 24, 2015 at 4:52 pm

    @Punchy: True. I don’t see Republicans just rolling over and playing dead until the absolute last minute.

  91. 91.

    Iowa Old Lady

    February 24, 2015 at 4:53 pm

    @JPL: You mean with the immigration rider attached? That could pass with 51 votes?

  92. 92.

    Patricia Kayden

    February 24, 2015 at 4:54 pm

    @Violet: I remember way back in the day when Maury’s show used to focus on other topics than sussing out paternity. Sad how he has become such a parody.

  93. 93.

    JPL

    February 24, 2015 at 4:54 pm

    @Iowa Old Lady: Like I said, I’m not sure. Pretty much I’m only guessing but the rules change if they go to mediation.

    I hope someone else can comment about Reid’s actions.

  94. 94.

    Patricia Kayden

    February 24, 2015 at 4:57 pm

    @JPL: Thanks Obama!

  95. 95.

    Violet

    February 24, 2015 at 4:58 pm

    @Patricia Kayden: I vaguely recall Maury’s show being about more than paternity. Wasn’t that in the Sally Jesse Raphael and Ricki Lake talk show days? Maybe early 90’s?

  96. 96.

    Zinsky

    February 24, 2015 at 5:01 pm

    Harry Reid is pathetic, blind or not. He is more than willing to give up the Democratic franchise for some narrow victories on inconsequential topics! Screw him!

  97. 97.

    David Koch

    February 24, 2015 at 5:06 pm

    but, but…. there’s no difference btwn Bush and Gore !

  98. 98.

    JPL

    February 24, 2015 at 5:10 pm

    @Iowa Old Lady: I did find this..
    After the changes are made, the Budget Committees consolidate them into one bill that is voted on by both houses; it needs 51 Senate votes.
    I don’t know if they can reconcile the house bill and the senate bill or not but that appears to be what Reid is concerned about.
    Technically the house already voted on a bill

  99. 99.

    Iowa Old Lady

    February 24, 2015 at 5:13 pm

    @JPL: I await developments.

  100. 100.

    catclub

    February 24, 2015 at 5:16 pm

    @JPL:

    they could end up in mediation

    reconciliation? twelve steps and all.

    Budget bills cannot be filibustered.

  101. 101.

    David Koch

    February 24, 2015 at 5:16 pm

    Charles Johnson @Green_Footballs · 1h 1 hour ago

    President Obama just vetoed the Keystone XL bill, as he promised.

  102. 102.

    Mike J

    February 24, 2015 at 5:17 pm

    @JPL: There’s no debate on the report from a conference committee. Normally in the senate, once debate starts there is no hard end to it. You debate until people agree to stop debating. That is actually what a filibuster is. Not agreeing to stop debate.

    wiki

    The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 limits debate on conference reports on budget resolutions and budget reconciliation bills to 10 hours in the Senate, so Senators cannot filibuster those conference report

  103. 103.

    Seanly

    February 24, 2015 at 5:19 pm

    @Punchy:

    Defund ACORN – to really stick it to the Prez and the blah’s.

  104. 104.

    catclub

    February 24, 2015 at 5:20 pm

    @Buddy H: Jenny Linsky and the Cat Club.
    Firecat was Pickles, I believe.

  105. 105.

    rikyrah

    February 24, 2015 at 5:21 pm

    Harry Reid looks great with the sunglasses….

    said before and will continue to see it..

    this is just the beginning…we will continue to see all the crazy that Harry Reid kept at bay.

  106. 106.

    bemused

    February 24, 2015 at 5:33 pm

    @Violet:

    What I remember of those type of shows is that there would two females fighting over a fugly guy with very few teeth. I could never figure out how the producers and the women found so many toothless guys. I didn’t realize these shows were still on.

  107. 107.

    Baud

    February 24, 2015 at 5:39 pm

    @David Koch:

    But did he want to do it, or was he forced to do it?

  108. 108.

    gelfling545

    February 24, 2015 at 5:56 pm

    @trollhattan: I would pay extra for a waiting room without TV if such were possible. I was once stuck at a car dealership with the 700 Club running for 2 hours. Even the dental school where I get my work done has CNN running all the time and, since I don’t watch tv news, I had no idea the depths to which it has descended until I arrived early a few times.

  109. 109.

    JPL

    February 24, 2015 at 6:01 pm

    @Mike J: thanks

  110. 110.

    Another Holocene Human

    February 24, 2015 at 6:04 pm

    @Mike J: Goddamn, that was hella stupid.

  111. 111.

    RaflW

    February 24, 2015 at 6:04 pm

    Chicago Tribune:

    Struggling to escape a trap of their own making, Republicans offered on Tuesday to permit a Senate vote on Homeland Security funding without the immigration provisions strongly opposed by President Barack Obama and fellow Democrats.

    HA-ha!

    I do worry about the all-GOP Congress. But not as much as I might, since they specialize in idiotic, backfiring “legislating.”

  112. 112.

    cckids

    February 24, 2015 at 9:39 pm

    @jl:

    Can’t they contract with cable companies to pipe in soothing shots of waterfalls, sunny meadows and sunsets and such like, with soothing music? It’s a puzzle.

    Yes, it is. Especially since, at least 2 of the hospital chains here in Vegas have a channel available in the patient’s rooms that they call “Serenity Channel”. It is all nature shots, with soothing, classical music in the background. Each shot starts with a super close-up, as on a flower, then pulls back to see the surrounding plants, then the river, then the whole meadow/valley, then the surrounding mountains, etc. It sounds boring, but it has a mesmerizing pattern, especially when you are in pain or recovering. It was helpful to my dad when he was there, when he couldn’t sleep, it was a little hypnotic.

    And yet, in that hospital’s ER? FauxNews, 24/7.

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